What is the best game similar to Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII?

The closest game to Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII is Persona 5 Strikers, scoring 99/100 on our similarity scale. They share 10 gameplay attributes, including deep RPG systems, JRPG narrative and systems and action RPG combat. It's the most faithful alternative currently available.

Is Trials of Mana similar to Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII?

Yes, very much so — Trials of Mana scores 99/100 similarity to Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. They share 8 attributes, including deep RPG systems and JRPG narrative and systems. It's one of the most direct alternatives available.

What RPG games are similar to Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII?

The best RPG games similar to Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII are Persona 5 Strikers, Trials of Mana, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name and ASTLIBRA Revision. All share the RPG genre alongside other key Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII attributes like deep RPG systems, JRPG narrative and systems and action RPG combat.

How is similarity to Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII calculated?

We compare Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII against every game in our catalog using 14 gameplay attributes: genre, atmosphere, world structure, play modes, combat style, and more. Each category is weighted differently — genre matters more than visual style, for instance. The result is a 0-100 score reflecting how closely a game replicates the Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII experience, not just whether it shares the same genre label.

48 Games like Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII that you should try

Games like Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII · Find similar →

More about this game →

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII is hard to replace: few games combine deep RPG systems, strong narrative focus and open world exploration in quite the same way. We compared Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII against over 6,700 titles across 14 gameplay attributes and found 48 genuine alternatives — not generic genre suggestions. Persona 5 Strikers, Trials of Mana and Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name lead the list, with Persona 5 Strikers reaching a 99/100 similarity score. Every game here is ranked by how closely it replicates what makes Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII special.

iRank75/ 100

Did you find what you were looking for?

GenreRPGSubgenreJRPGSub-subgenreAction JRPG

Top games similar to Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

48 similar games foundUpdated July 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. Each one has been evaluated across 14 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

#1Persona 5 Strikers

iRank84

GenreRPGSubgenreJRPGSub-subgenreAction JRPG

SoloMeleeNarrativeAnimeFantasyThird Person

Steam👍 87%· 18KIGDB81· 13OC83· 131

Year 2020Dev Omega Force · SegaOn PS4 · PC · Switch

✓ Fits the action JRPGs cluster, with deep RPG systems, JRPG narrative and systems and action RPG combat

≠ Stands apart with deep simulation and visual 3d, while skipping open world exploration

GenreRPGSubgenreJRPGSub-subgenreAction JRPG

SoloFantasyAnimeThird Person

Steam👍 91%· 5.7KIGDB78· 10OC75· 97

Year 2020Dev Square Enix Creative Business Unit IV · Square EnixOn Xbox · PS4 · Android

✓ Nearly identical: deep RPG systems, JRPG narrative and systems and adventure storytelling.

≠ Missing: strong narrative focus.

Details →

Steam Xbox PS

#3Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name

iRank87

GenreRPGSubgenreJRPGSub-subgenreAction JRPG

SoloMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 95%· 12KIGDB80· 5OC79· 118

Year 2023Dev Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios · SegaOn Xbox · PS4 · PC

✓ Both are action JRPGs — sharing deep RPG systems, JRPG narrative and systems and adventure storytelling

≠ Where it differs: brings fighting mechanics and dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping fantasy world

GenreRPGSubgenreJRPGSub-subgenreAction JRPG

SoloMeleeNarrativeFantasyExploration

Steam👍 95%· 30KOC82· 21

Year 2022Dev KEIZO · WhisperGamesPlaytime ~5hOn PC

✓ Fits the action JRPGs cluster, with deep RPG systems, JRPG narrative and systems and action RPG combat

≠ Where it differs: brings Metroidvania exploration, setting mythology and setting modern, while skipping open world exploration

Details →

Steam

#5Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom

iRank85

GenreRPGSubgenreJRPGSub-subgenreAction JRPG

SoloMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldAnimeFantasyExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 84%· 11KIGDB86· 14

Year 2018Dev LEVEL-5 · Bandai Namco EntertainmentOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

✓ Same family of action JRPGs: deep RPG systems, JRPG narrative and systems and adventure storytelling

≠ Its own twist: deep simulation, cozy, relaxing feel and loot and gear systems, while skipping setting scifi

Details →

Steam PS

#6Yakuza 6: The Song of Life

iRank88

GenreRPGSubgenreJRPGSub-subgenreAction JRPG

SoloMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldAnimeExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 93%· 8.1KIGDB82· 18OC84· 131

Year 2016Dev Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios · SegaOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

✓ Fits the action JRPGs cluster, with deep RPG systems, JRPG narrative and systems and adventure storytelling

≠ Stands apart with fighting mechanics and dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping fantasy world

GenreRPGSubgenreJRPGSub-subgenreAction JRPG

SoloMeleeNarrativeAnimeFantasy

Steam👍 97%· 12KRAWG👍 62%· 44

Year 2015Dev Holy PriestPlaytime ~1hOn PC

✓ Same family of action JRPGs: deep RPG systems, JRPG narrative and systems and action RPG combat

≠ Stands apart with cozy, relaxing feel, visual isometric and visual 2d, while skipping adventure storytelling

GenreRPGSubgenreJRPGSub-subgenreAction JRPG

SoloMeleeNarrativeSci-FiAnime

Steam👍 93%· 18KIGDB81· 8OC84· 71

Year 2018Dev Radical Fish Games · WhisperGamesOn PS4 · Linux · PC

✓ Same family of action JRPGs: deep RPG systems, JRPG narrative and systems and action RPG combat

≠ Where it differs: brings puzzle design, shooter and punishing difficulty, while skipping open world exploration

Details →

Steam GOG Xbox

#9Yakuza 5 Remastered

iRank87

GenreRPGSubgenreJRPGSub-subgenreAction JRPG

SoloMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldAnimeExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 89%· 7.2KOC82· 12

Year 2019Dev Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios · SegaOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

✓ Fits the action JRPGs cluster, with deep RPG systems, JRPG narrative and systems and adventure storytelling

≠ Where it differs: brings fighting mechanics, puzzle design and dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping fantasy world

GenreRPGSubgenreJRPGSub-subgenreAction JRPG

SoloMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldAnimeFantasyExplorationSkill TreeThird Person

Steam👍 87%· 36KIGDB87· 6OC87· 144

Year 2021Dev Bandai Namco Studios · Bandai Namco EntertainmentOn Xbox · PS4 · PC

✓ Both are action JRPGs — sharing deep RPG systems, JRPG narrative and systems and adventure storytelling

≠ Stands apart with combat magic, while skipping setting scifi

Details →

Steam Xbox PS

#11NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139...

iRank85

GenreRPGSubgenreJRPGSub-subgenreAction JRPG

SoloMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldSci-FiAnimeFantasyExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 88%· 28KIGDB82· 12OC83· 135

Year 2021Dev Toylogic · Square EnixOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

✓ Same family of action JRPGs: deep RPG systems, JRPG narrative and systems and action RPG combat

≠ Stands apart with shooter, punishing difficulty and dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping skill tree progression

GenreRPGSubgenreJRPGSub-subgenreAction JRPG

SoloMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldSci-FiFantasyAnimeExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 87%· 151KRAWG👍 86%· 2.2KMC86IGDB86· 24OC89· 157

Year 2017Dev Platinum Games · Square EnixPlaytime ~13hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Fits the action JRPGs cluster, with deep RPG systems, JRPG narrative and systems and action RPG combat

≠ Its own twist: punishing difficulty, dark, oppressive atmosphere and ranged combat, while skipping skill tree progression

GenreRPGSubgenreJRPGSub-subgenreAction JRPG

SoloNarrativeSci-FiDarkCozy

Steam👍 98%· 20KRAWG👍 87%· 248IGDB93· 1OC85· 16

Year 2017Dev X.D. NetworkPlaytime ~5hOn PC · iOS · Apple Macintosh

✓ Same family of action JRPGs: deep RPG systems, JRPG narrative and systems and adventure storytelling

≠ Its own twist: puzzle design, dark, oppressive atmosphere and cozy, relaxing feel, while skipping action RPG combat

Details →

Steam GOG

#14Kingdom Hearts III

iRank89

GenreRPGSubgenreJRPGSub-subgenreAction JRPG

SoloMeleeNarrativeFantasyThird Person

Steam👍 91%· 2.5KIGDB90· 10OC84· 151

Year 2019Dev Square Enix Creative Business Unit I · The Walt Disney CompanyOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

✓ Same family of action JRPGs: deep RPG systems, JRPG narrative and systems and adventure storytelling

≠ Where it differs: brings cozy, relaxing feel, combat magic and visual 3d, while skipping open world exploration

Details →

Steam Epic Xbox

#15Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII - Reunion

iRank85

GenreRPGSubgenreJRPGSub-subgenreAction JRPG

SoloMeleeNarrativeSci-FiFantasyThird Person

Steam👍 90%· 8.5KIGDB82· 6OC80· 128

Year 2022Dev Tose · Square EnixOn Xbox · PS4 · PC

✓ Same family of action JRPGs: deep RPG systems, JRPG narrative and systems and adventure storytelling

≠ Its own twist: combat tactical, combat magic and visual 3d, while skipping open world exploration

Details →

Steam Xbox PS

Complete list of Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII alternatives

The full catalog of games sharing gameplay DNA with Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, ordered from highest to lowest similarity score. Use the filters above to narrow down by genre, setting or game mode and find the alternative that best fits your playstyle.

Yakuza 0

RPG · JRPG

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot

RPG · JRPG

Take me, Vitaly

RPG · JRPG

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

RPG · JRPG

Fortune Summoners

RPG · JRPG

Ys Origin

RPG · JRPG

Tales of Berseria

RPG · JRPG

Final Fantasy XVI

RPG · JRPG

Final Fantasy Type-0 HD

RPG · JRPG

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana

RPG · JRPG

Monster Hunter Rise

RPG · JRPG

Ys: The Oath in Felghana

RPG · JRPG

Final Fantasy XV

RPG · JRPG

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen

RPG · JRPG

Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age

RPG · JRPG

Touhou Mystia's Izakaya

RPG · JRPG

Dragon Quest Builders

RPG · JRPG

One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3

RPG · JRPG

Monster Hunter: World

RPG · JRPG

Tales of Zestiria

RPG · JRPG

Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale

RPG · JRPG

Dragon Quest Builders 2

RPG · JRPG

FINAL FANTASY VIII

RPG · JRPG

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin

RPG · JRPG

Code Vein

RPG · JRPG

Final Fantasy XIII-2

RPG · JRPG

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty

RPG · JRPG

Yakuza: Like a Dragon

RPG · JRPG

Wild Season

RPG · JRPG

Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition

RPG · JRPG

Scarlet Nexus

RPG · JRPG

Evoland

RPG · JRPG

Planet Stronghold

RPG · JRPG

Explore games similar to Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII by category

Rankings in the same genre

Best Action JRPGs Best JRPG Games Best RPG Games

Frequently asked questions

What is the best game similar to Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII?: The closest game to Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII is Persona 5 Strikers, scoring 99/100 on our similarity scale. They share 10 gameplay attributes, including deep RPG systems, JRPG narrative and systems and action RPG combat. It's the most faithful alternative currently available.
What are the top games like Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII?: The three closest games to Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII are: 1. Persona 5 Strikers (99/100, 10 shared attributes) 2. Trials of Mana (99/100, 8 shared attributes) 3. Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name (97/100, 10 shared attributes). All share Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII's most important gameplay attributes, ranked out of 48 candidates across 14 dimensions.
Is Trials of Mana similar to Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII?: Yes, very much so — Trials of Mana scores 99/100 similarity to Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. They share 8 attributes, including deep RPG systems and JRPG narrative and systems. It's one of the most direct alternatives available.
What RPG games are similar to Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII?: The best RPG games similar to Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII are Persona 5 Strikers, Trials of Mana, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name and ASTLIBRA Revision. All share the RPG genre alongside other key Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII attributes like deep RPG systems, JRPG narrative and systems and action RPG combat.
How is similarity to Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII calculated?: We compare Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII against every game in our catalog using 14 gameplay attributes: genre, atmosphere, world structure, play modes, combat style, and more. Each category is weighted differently — genre matters more than visual style, for instance. The result is a 0-100 score reflecting how closely a game replicates the Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII experience, not just whether it shares the same genre label.